“I’d love to play it out,” Orton told Jeff Legwold. “It wasn’t my decision. There was nothing I could do. . . . The way it was presented to me was he’ll be the starter the rest of the season and that’s just how it goes.”

The Broncos gave Orton a pricey new contract just a few months ago. Now his future with the team is in doubt, and he says he’s “disappointed” that he can’t finish the year with his guys.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Orton said. “I do know I’m not the one who’s going to be making that decision. I’m not the one who made this decision. But (if) the organization wants to go a different way the rest of the year, then hey, that’s just how it is. If I’m back next year, my belief is I’m coming back as the starter.”

We think Orton should be back. He’s due $8.8 million next year, and $5.5 million is guaranteed. That’s a lot of money to swallow considering Orton played very well for most of this year. The Broncos can let Orton and Tebow battle it out in camp next year. Quarterback is hardly at the top of the Broncos’ problems.

The front office is a mess, and the team has had one of the worst defenses in football for half a decade.

Kyle should be the starter. He hasn’t done anything to warrant not being the starter. He can’t help a terrible defense. He can’t help a run game that just now got started.

Tebow had a decent showing last week, but his success came on freak plays. Freak plays. Had those chance happenings not happened, he would have been shut out. And everyone would be sounding the horn saying he’s a bust. But because a busted play happened and he rumbled for a 40 yard TD and because a Raider CB couldn’t make an INT, he’s being lauded as this terrific player that had a good start.

Let’s call a spade a spade here. Orton gives us the best chance at winning. Even if it’s only 5 games on the season. We may be able to walk away with some dignity.

@ijr213 – Completely agree that Orton hasn’t done anything to deserve being yanked or that the defense is absolutely terrible, but I think it’s in the team’s best long-term interests to see what Tebow can do.

We’re looking at a top 10, possibly top 5 pick in the draft next year. In addition, we’ve got two second rd picks as well – both coming likely in the first half of the rd. With there being a good 2-3 likely elite QB prospects, we need to know if we should go after one of them, or whether Tebow has potential to carry to load so we can solely focus on fixing that train wreck of a defense we have.

If we were still in contention, I’d be outraged at Tebow getting the nod, but the only thing we’re in contention for at this point is draft stock.

I can’t believe this, Orton is coming into his own, finally. He is in the prime years of his career as a QB and they are benching him for a guy that cannot even fix his mechanics. I saw the replay of the game vs. the Raiders and the announcers were talking about “How great Tebow was playing.” Ummm he didn’t play that great. A few decent plays, his passes were all inaccurate, except the TD that was dropped in the endzone, that smacked the WR in the chest, but if it had been a CB covering that guy instead of a DE, that would have been an INT.

The one TD pass was an ill-advised throw and a poorly thrown ball at that. The WR just made an amazing play. The catch over the middle by–a WR whose name escapes me–was very overthrown and the WR made a spectacular finger-tip catch.

Wow… Ohhhh Tebow ran well… Heck, lets just call the President and alert him that Tim Tebow is a good runner, gee none of us knew that. Lots of QB now-days make those kinds of runs every week… Not impressed at all. I will be watching his next two games very closely.

FYI Kyle Orton will be starting for someone next year, and playing well 30+ TDs and 3,500+yards. Don’t be surprised if it is the Broncos that he’s starting for either 🙂

If the Broncos don’t want him, I am sure they can get a late-1st or early-2nd round pick for him from someone…

ijr213 – you speak the gospel truth man. That TD was a combination of Stanford Routt not having any ball skills (lacks effective coverage skills most of the time, but that’s a story for a different thread) and the receiver making one he!l of a catch. Tebow is not Jesus in football cleats as so many Bronco fans seem to think, and the announcers were over the top with praise for a guy who’s team went 2 for 12 on third down. Kyle Orton gives them a better chance to be balanced on offense, and run the complete offensive package. “Playing for the future” is great for the fans of the teams they are playing against, but to expect fans to pay full price to watch what amount to extended pre-season games is absurd. You are obligated to put the best product on the field every game. Like Herm says – you play to win the damn game.

orton’s numbers are gaudy but pretty useless. when the broncos were in close games he did nothing to carry them or make plays. He is not a qb that can be counted on in crunch time. Sorry kyle maybe they’ll cut you and you can start over, maybe somewhere warm like miami.

ijr213 says:
Dec 23, 2010 10:23 AM
Kyle should be the starter. He hasn’t done anything to warrant not being the starter. He can’t help a terrible defense. He can’t help a run game that just now got started.

Tebow had a decent showing last week, but his success came on freak plays. Freak plays. Had those chance happenings not happened, he would have been shut out. And everyone would be sounding the horn saying he’s a bust. But because a busted play happened and he rumbled for a 40 yard TD and because a Raider CB couldn’t make an INT, he’s being lauded as this terrific player that had a good start.

Let’s call a spade a spade here. Orton gives us the best chance at winning. Even if it’s only 5 games on the season. We may be able to walk away with some dignity.
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Finally, someone with some smarts! Good post……Except for a couple of games, Orton has played really well this year, he just doesn’t have any help. For you Tebow fans, sorry I don’t hate the guy, but I’m telling you he will NEVER be a startiing QB in the NFL, period!!

Hmm…coincidence that the running game is just now looking good, at exactly the same time that Ortons stats began to plummet? It’s because the McDaniels gimmick is designed to make mediocre QB’s look great. The run game was sacrificed in order to inflate the passing game stats, same as Cassel did in NE. The run & pass are competing in Denver, not complementing each other like they should. Now that Lil Josh is gone & an RB coach is in charge, it’s no surprise that the run game is more successful and with balanced play calling Orton went back to being the same old back-up level QB he was in Chicago.

The Broncos have nothing left to do this year except evaluate the players they have in real game situations. The HC that wanted Tebow is gone. They need to evaluate what Tebow can actually do at this level regardless what the haters/lovers think. They know what they have with Orton…no need to devalue his trade stock with a bad performance or injury. They are trying to set up the off-season moves. Tebow/Orton/Quinn could be traded…at least one of them will be, maybe two of the three. It’s about trying to put the team in the best possible position for next year, not catering to the feelings of their starting QB who rightfully feels he has not lost the startng job. Orton played well this year…now they want to see what the kid can do

If Mike Vick runs a 10 yard TD it is an amazing feat. If Tim Tebow runs a 40 yard TD it is a “freak play”. And when Tebow throws a TD? Again, it was just a “freak play”. You Tebow hating buffoons just can not stand that the man got his first NFL start and did well. You Tebow haters are just wishing with all your might that the man fails.

The Broncos should absolutely be starting Tebow….they have to see what he has/ or doesn’t have…..the worst thing would be to go into the offseason not knowing, at least a little, whether Tebow can play/ or not at this level.

By the way, the “your city sucks” comments are a little “3rd grade”…….my dad could beat your dad up – ish.

You (presumably) live in DC and yr calling Denver garbage? Really? Have you even been to Denver, or the Front Range at all? Its fantastic! I highly suggest you visit, might clear your head a bit from all that anger/frustration.

Well what do you know…a QB who, unlike the one in DC, didn’t play poorly enough to lose his job due to performance yet gets benched refrains from taking little backhand slaps at everyone in the press. You listening Donnie Mac?

The Bronco’s running game is “better without Orton”? You do realize the running backs (not including the QB) in the game Tebow started, had about 25 carries for 30 yards, don’t you?
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I stand corrected and apologize for speaking w/o examining the facts. After detailed examination of Broncos’ offensive stats, I now conclude that not only is Orton mediocre, the run game is mediocre at best regardless of who’s at QB. Some facts: Pass/run split is 61/39%, making them top-8 in the NFL for attempts & yards per game. However they are middle-of-the-pack in passing TDs & near the bottom end for completion %, consequently time of possession is only 28:04 leaving extra time for that bad defense to be on the field.
I’m not hating on the Broncos, as a Lions fan I know all too well what happens with some idiot takes over your team and drives it into the ground. It’s almost impressive how much faster McDaniels did it compared to Millen.

@klunge – great to see a fan with some integrity that comes back and admits to some error on the facts. The point here is that the Denver offensive line was in turmoil early in the season with injuries, and then, with two rookies starting, has had its share of penalties and problems with players shifting positions. So you are correct, except you give the Broncos more credit than due when saying the running game is mediocre–it’s actually horrible, and I say this as a Denver fan. So, no wonder the Broncos are way up there in attempts per game as they can’t rush the ball. At one point they were 32nd in the league in rushing and in the top three passing. This means that the qb was constantly in 3rd and long situations, which resulted in a very low 3rd down efficiency rating, and a high sack rate. The key to winning games is to have a smash mouth defense, and a good enough offense (top ten?) to consistently score points–even without superstar wide receivers (see NO last year winnin the SB). As for Orton, I think he must realize that when a team is out of the playoffs, it is “business” time, and decisions need to be made for next year. Actually, if Orton saw this objectively, he would realize that his job is safe and it’s Tebow that must convince the management (now that McD is gone) that he is the future of the franchise down the line, a la Aaron Rodgers. Assuming Tebow is the future, Orton should expect that he will start next year, and give Tebow that second year that he needs. Can you imagine if Tebow was the starter next year, and Orton was gone? Quinn as back-up? Not going to happen. Orton will start, and Tebow will be backup, and this will allow the Broncos to focus on defense . . . at least Doom will be back next year!

This is all politics at this point.
#1. Orton gives the team the best chance to win, but Tebow gives the team the best chance to sell tickets. The franchise still needs to make money.
#2. Almost every coach in the NFL did not think Tebow should have been drafted where he was, and while Orton has greatly increased his value for any offseason manuvering, Tebow has not. An incoming coach may not want to deal with both of them, and so it may be helpful if both had market value.

It sucks for Orton, since he’s had a career of getting placed behind people he’s better than, but it is the way it goes. He is a pretty good QB, but not a franchise style player. He’s not ever going to have the security he desires, but he can make a big difference in the right system. As a fan, I’d prefer to keep him going forward as we add some youth and talent to the defense and make our offensive tweeks. It all depends on who is coaching, and if the goal is to scrap everything again (thanks again, Josh you douche), or if we can build off of the positive elements of the team under whomever might be coaching next.

All you Oraton nuthuggers can kay my aye as far as I’m concerned. The broncos wer 3-11 under his watch, that IS grounds for benching. He is the reason Denver lost to the Jets, Ravens, Kansas City, Rams, 49ers and Arizona. That is grounds for benching. He’s the worst 4th quarter QB in the history of the Denver Broncos and couldn’t engineer a game winning or tying drive to safe is life and he chokes under pressure. In my mind, the 4th quarter comeback lead by Tebow alone warrants his benching because Orton could never do that. He had may opportunities (ie. the Jets, Rams, and 49er games) and he CHOKED each and every time. Trade his crack, and Oraton, don’t let the door ya where the god lordy oh split ya! D!ck! First to go was McDaniels. Next to go, his idiot staff… then, dippidy-doo Oraton after that. The once great, and soon to be great again, Denver Broncos football organization of the world can begin to heal from this terrible, terrible episode.